Article selection system

ABSTRACT

A RETRIEVAL SYSTEM IS DISCLOSED FOR SELECTING ONE OF MORE ARTICLES HAVING A CODE-NOTCHED SORTING EDGE FROM A PLURALITY OF SIMILAR ARTICLES STORED WITH THEIR SORTING EDGES SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL AND ALIGNED. THE SYSTEM INCLUDES MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY ENGAGING SORTING BARS DISPOSED TRANSVERSELY OF THE STORED ARTICLES WITH THE ALIGNED CODE-NOTCHED ARTICLE EDGES, SEPARATING MEANS FOR RELATIVELY LIMITEDLY MOVING AND PARTIALLY SEPARATING, IN A SUBSTANTIAL HORIZONTAL DIRECTION PARALLEL TO THEIR SORTING EDGES, ARTICLES NOTCHED IN CONFORMITY WITH THE ENGAGED SORTING BARS AND THOSE NOT CONFORMINGLY NOTCHED, AND LOCK MEANS FOR POSITIVELY LOCKING NONCONFORMINGLY NOTCHED ARTICLES TO PERMIT FURTHER SEPARATION OF THE CONFORMINGLY AND NONCONFORMINGLY NOTCHED ARTICLES BY CONTINUED RELATIVE MOVEMENT IN THE SAME DIRECTION USED TO EFFECT PARTIAL SEPARATION OF THE ARTICLES.

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United States Patent 27,762 ARTICLE SELECTION SYSTEM Robert D. Parry, deceased, late of Cincinnati, Ohio, by Margaret G. Parry, executrix, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to 0.K. Partnership and Access Corp., both of Cincinnati, Ohio, fractional part interest to each Original No. 3,478,877, dated Nov. 18, 1969, Ser. No. 661,758, Aug. 4, 1967. Application for reissue Nov. 17, 1971, Ser. No. 199,754

Int. Cl. B07c /00, 9/00 U.S. Cl. 209-805 52 Claims Matter enclosed in heavy brackets I] appears in the original patent but forms no part of this reissue specification; matter printed in italics indicates the additions made by reissue.

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A retrieval system is disclosed for selecting one or more articles having a code-notched sorting edge from a plurality of similar articles stored with their sorting edges substantailly horizontal and aligned. The system includes means for selectively engaging sorting bars disposed transversely of the stored articles with the aligned code-notched article edges, separating means for relatively limitedly moving and partially separating, in a substantial horizontal direction parallel to their sorting edges, articles notched in conformity with the engaged sorting bars and those not conformingly notched, and lock means for positively locking nonconformingly notched articles to permit further separation of the conformingly and nonconformingly notched articles by continued relative movement in the same direction used to effect partial separation of the articles.

This invention relates to a system for selecting randomly stored articles such as cards, envelopes, folders and the like, having a code-notched edge along at least one margin thereof, and more particularly to improved methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture for selecting, by relatively moving the desired and undesired cards in a substantially horizontal direction parallel to their code-notched edges, one or more edge-notched articles from a plurality of similar articles stored with their sorting edges aligned.

In the past, a number of systems have been proposed for selecting edge-notched articles in which the selection is made by relatively displacing the desired and undesired cards in a direction parallel to their coded edges. Typical of certain of these are the sorting systems proposed in Whitson, Patents 2,495,491, 2,002,808, 2,379,943, and others. In accordance with these proposals, a plurality of cards are provided each having spaced teeth formed along their bottom edge which are selectively removable for coding purposes. The cards are randomly stored in faceto-face upstanding relation on a slotted platen with their coded edges lowermost. Transversely disposed relative to the coded card edges are a plurality of code or sort bars corresponding in number to, and aligned with, registration notches formed by the spaces between the adjacent code notchable teeth. The code bars, which normally are positioned with their upper edges flush with the platen are selectively elevatable to a set position wherein their upper edges protrude above the platen into their respective registration notches of the cards.

With the prior art proposals, card selection is typically elfected in two sequential, yet functionally separate and independent steps. These steps are herein termed the initial or partial separation stage or phase, and the final or further separation stage or phase.

In practice, the first or partial separation stage is at:-

Re. 27,752 Reissued Sept. 18, 1973 complished by elevating the code bars in a pattern conforming to the removed teeth of the desired card or cards, and thereafter acting on the cards with a rectilinear force tending to move them in a direction parallel to their coded edges. The desired cards, that is, cards having a removed tooth pattern corresponding to that of the set code bars, shift laterally in the direction of their coded edges a distance equal to the width of a tooth. Such movement is possible because the teeth adjacent the set code bars of the desired card have been removed. The undesired cards, that is, those cards with a nonconforming removed tooth pattern, are not free to move in the direction of their coded edge and, consequently, remain stationary. Hence, partial sparation between the desired and undesired cards results. Once partially separated, the desired cards are further separated from the undesired cards by applying a rotational force to the selected cards. This tilts the selected cards upwardly relative to the unselected cards rendering the desired cards available for inspection or removal.

In accordance with the majority of the prior art proposals, both the rectilinear and rotational forces used in the partial separation and the final separation stages of the sorting cycle, respectively, are produced by means of a movable magnet disposed transversely of the cards in engagement with ferromagnetic chips implanted in the vertical edges thereof. Specifically, the rectilinear force for partial separation is achieved by laterally shifting the magnet in a straight line parallel to the coded card edges for a distance equal to one tooth width. The desired cards, which are free to move, remain engaged with the magnet, becoming displaced from the undesired cards which are restrained by the set code bars. The rotational force necessary for further separation of the desired cards is effected by tilting the magnet upwardly. This tilts the selected cards, which are the only cards still held by the magnet, raising them above the undesired cards to thereby complots the selection process.

The prior art proposals for selecting edge coded cards all have a tendency, during the final separation phase of the card selection cycle, to select undesired cards. Such a tendency is attributable to the frictional drag existing between the cards. This problem is particularly accentuated where it is desired to select a large number of cards, many of which sandwich between them a single card which is not desired. In such a case, the sandwiched card is acted upon by the frictional drag of the two adjacent cards located on each side. Frequently, this drag is of sufficient strength, particularly if the cards are closely packed, to withdraw the sandwiched card from the deck, thus producing an erroneous selection.

Another type of system has been proposed in the prior art for selecting edge-notched articles in which selection is made by separating the desired and undesired articles in a direction parallel to their coded edges. In accordance with this proposal, suggested in Morse et al. U..S. Patent 3,396,732, information-bearing elements are vertically suspended above a horizontally moving conveyor belt. The belt delivers the elements, which drop under the force of gravity pursuant to a selection process, to on opening in the front of a cabinet which encloses both the belt and the information-bearing elements.

The elements of the Morse et al. proposal each have two sorting edges along the vertical sides thereof provided with removable teeth, which teeth represent different letters, numerals, or the like. Spaced below each codable tooth is a notch. These notches and teeth cooperate with vertically spaced horizontal code bars disposed on either side of the element to permit selection. Additionally, located above the group of codable teeth on each vertical edge of the element is a support notch which, when engaged by a horizontal support bar transverse to the card, facilitates supporting the card in a vertically suspended position. At a point above the support notches starting a distance less than the width of a codable tooth the edge of the element is removed or relieved to prevent a card from being held by the support bars once it is selected.

With the elements supported by engagement of the support bars and support notches, to select an element having a predetermined pattern of removed teeth, the selector bars are set, i.e., advanced inwardly into the notches, in a pattern corresponding to that of the removed tooth pattern of the desired element. The support bars are thereafter retracted, permitting the desired element to drop under the force of gravity a distance equal to the width of a single tooth. The undesired elements having a nonconforming removed tooth pattern are prevented from vertical movement by the set selector bars. Further separation of the desired elements from the undesired elements is effected by re-engaging the support bars with the support notches of the elements to restrain movement of the undesired elements which have remained stationary. At the same time the selector bars are reset to permit additional downward motion of the selected element under the force of gravity. As the selected element continues moving downwardly, it eventually comes to rest on the top of the horizontal conveyor which delivers it to the operator via an opening in the front of the selector houstng.

Return of an element to storage in the Morse et al. selector is made possible by a second opening in the rear of the selector apparatus housing which is opposite the ends of the selector, support and anti-twist bars. Return is accomplished by, first, pre-aligning the support and anti-twist notches of the element with the support and antitwist bars, and thereafter sliding the pre-aligned element onto the bars.

The Morse et al. retrieval system has certain structural and operational characteristics which detract from its utility in certain applications. For example, because gravity is relied upon for separating the desired elements from the undesired elements, under certain conditions a desired element may fail to be selected. For example, if the stored elements take the form of tab cards of paper stock, and are stored in relatively compacted fashion, the likelihood of failing to retrieve a desired element is quite substantial. This is due to the fact that the frictional force applied to a selected element by adjacent unselected elements, which is on the order of a force of 100 grams, substantially exceeds the downward vertical selection force applied to the card by gravity, which is on the order of 2 /2 grams.

Additionally, in the Morse et al. system, in order to return an element to storage in the selector apparatus it is necessary to pre-align four distinct notches, namely, two support notches and two anti-twist notches, with their respectively associated pairs of support and anti-twist bars. This pre-alignment of notches and bars impedes rapid returning to storage of new or previously retrieved elements. Rapid in-filing of elements is further complicated by the requirement that elements be inserted through an opening in the rear of the housing. In addition to the inability to rapidly in-file elements, in the Morse et al. system it is not possible to insert an element into storage at a point located, for example, in the front or middle of the stored assemblage, but rather only at the rear end thereof oppo site the opening in the back of the housing.

A further problem with the proposal of Morse et al., wherein the elements when stored are supported by engagement of a pair of adjacent bars with the support notches, is that sup ort is not uniformly distributed along the length of the element, but rather is concentrated at two points. This force concentration tends to cause undue wear of the cards with time.

A further problem is inherent in systems of the Morse et al. type, which is attributable to the fact that support of an unselected element during a selection process is transferred from the support bars to the selector bars and back again to the support bars. Specifically, at the beginning of a selection process and prior to setting of the code bars, the elements are supported by engagement of the support bars with the support notches. When so supported, the selector bars are positioned opposite the notches which underlie the codable teeth. To prevent damage to the codable teeth when the code bars are advanced into the notches which underlie the teeth, and to accommodate manufacturing tolerances, the notches are slightly oversized with respect to the code bars, i.e., the vertical dimension of the code notches is larger than the vertical dimension of the code bars. With this relationship of code notch and bar, a clearance necessarily exists between the upper surface of a code bar and the upper edge of the associated notch into which the code bar is set.

This clearance disappears, in the course of the selection process as the support bars are retracted, inasmuch as the undesired cards, since no longer supported by the support bars, are free to drop a distance equal to the clearance until restrained by engagement of the set selector bars and the upper edge of the code notches.

By virtue of the undesired cards having dropped a distance equal to the clearance, the upper edge of the support notch of the undesired elements is now below the position it occupied at the start of the selection cycle when the element was supported by the upper surface of the support bar. As a consequence, when the support bars are returned to support the unselected elements, and the set selector bars retracted to permit selected elements to drop for further separation movement, the support bars abut, or pean, that portion of the sorting edge located immediately above the upper edge of the support notch. Repeated penning each time the support bars are reinserted into the support notches following partial separation of a desired element from the undesired elements, in time, damages the elements.

It has been a principal objective of this invention to provide a system for selecting randomly stored edge coded cards which overcomes the problem occasioned by the frictional drag between cards which frequently has resulted in the selection of undesired cards during the final separation phase of the sorting cycle I], which facilitates rapid infiling of cards at any point in the card assemblage, and which minimizes unnecessary card wear.

This objective has been accomplished in accordance with certain of the principles of this invention by utilizing a very uuobvious and unique combination of features including disposition of the cards with the sorting edges substantially horizontal, positive locking of undesired cards after the desired cards have been initially separated therefrom, and use of magnetic force to initially and finally separate the desired cards from the undesired cards in a direction parallel to the sorting edge.

The locking concept [which] centers on positively restraining the undesitcd cards during the final separation stage of the card sorting cycle, thereby preventing undesired cards from being selected as a consequence of the frictional drag exerted by adjacent cards which are selectcd.

In one preferred form of this invention the locking concept involves a two-fold approach which includes, firstly, providing the sorting apparatus with a barrier and the cards with a cooperating lock notch positioned along the coded sorting edge, and, secondly, effecting final separation of the cards by application of a rectilinear force to the cards directed along their coded sorting edges. The lock notch and cooperating barrier are located such that, in the course of the initial separation phase of the sorting cycle when the desired cards are relatively laterally shifted the width of a tooth, the lock notches of undesired cards become exposed, that is, they are in transverse registry with a removed portion of the trailing edges of the selected cards, leaving the lock notches of only the undesired cards aligned with the barrier. With the lock notches of only the undesired cards exposed and aligned with the barrier, positive restraint of the undesired cards during the final card separating phase of the sorting cycle can be effected by interposing the barrier into the exposed lock notches of the undesired cards prior to initiation of the rectilinear sorting edge direct force characteristic of the final separation stage. Once interposed, the barrier positively locks the undesired cards against inadvertent selection occasioned by the frictional effects of adjacent cards, making it possible to select cards even under the worst frictional conditions, namely, those frictional conditions which arise when the selection of every other card in the deck is desired.

Thus, the provision of a lock notch and cooperating barrier coupled with a rectilinear final stage separating force has produced a sorting system which positively insures against the selection of undesired cards. It is noted that such a result is produced without resort to complex sorting equipment. On the contrary, the positive restraint of undesired cards present in this invention, which insures against erroneous selections, is provided by the addition of structure of extreme simplicity, namely, a card notch and barrier.

The horizontal sorting edge feature involves disposing cards vertically with their sorting edges substantially horizontal, and in a preferred form lowermost. By virtue of disposing the sorting edges horizontally, support of the cards during storage is distributed along substantially the entire length of the card, reducing undue support force concentrations and the attendant unnecessary wear. Additionally, with the card sorting edges horizontally disposed and supported along the bottom edges thereof, in-filing of cards, and at any point of the deck, can be rapidly accomplished by merely inserting the cards into the deck from the top. Thus, pre-alignment of card notches with bars of one type or another prior to card insertion, and the attendant time-consuming nature of such pre-alignment, is unnecessary. Additionally, since the cards are supported along the entire edge thereof rather than by engagement of support bars with support notches, as is the case with vertically disposed cards, there is no card damage upon reinsertion of the support bars into the support notches of cards which have dropped during the initial separation phase due to clearance between the selector bars and their associated notches. Finally, the mechanism required to support the card is simplified to the extent that a stationary horizontal support surface engageable with the bottom edges of the card need only be provided. It is unnecessary to provide a mechanism for shifting support bars both before and after the initial separation phase of the card selection cycle.

The magnetic force feature comprehends the utilization of a magnet, preferably movable, to apply a magnetic force to the cards in a direction parallel to their sorting edges during the initial and final separation phases of the card selection cycle. By virtue of utilizing magnetic force to separate the desired cards from the undesired cards, the cards can be stored compactly, yet selection of a desired card is not preventedv as is commonplace in gravity-type systems, by the frictional forces applied to a desired card by adjacent undesired cards.

A further advantage of this invention, which inheres in the rectilinear relative movement during the final stage, in addition to contributing to the positive restraint of undesired cards, is the simplification of the sorting apparatus mechanism used to relatively move the cards. In the system of this invention, relative card movement in both the initial and final stages is rectilinear, Consequently, the same mechanism used to shift the cards during the final stage of the sorting cycle can be used during the initial stage. Thus, complex mechanisms for producing different kinds of relative card motion are unnecessary.

Another problem quite common in prior art sorting systems of the general type to which this invention is directed is their tendency to produce erroneous card selections which result when the coded or sorting edge of the card is not in proper operational relationship with respect to the code bars during one or more phases of the sorting cycle. It is a known phenomenon that cards acquire like polarity static electrical charges through use and hantiling. Such charges, when the cards are packed together in sorting apparatus, cause forces of mutual repulsion to develop. These repulsion forces manifest themselves by misaligning the cards, which in turn cause a certain percentage of the cards to pull away from an operative sorting position in which their coded edges contact the platen. With the coded card edges so spaced from the platen, the sorting bars do not properly cooperate with the codeable teeth, and erroneous card selections result.

It has been an additional and principal objective of this invention to provide a card selection system in which the likelihood of erreneous card selections, occasioned by static charged induced separation of the card sorting edge from operative relation to the code bars, is eliminated entirely or at least materially reduced. In accordance with certain further principles of this invention this objective has been accomplished by incorporating into the card and the sorting apparatus certain unique camming features which cooperate in a very nnobvious manner to maintain the sorting edges of the card in operative relation with the code bars throughout the critical phases of the sorting cycle. More specifically, the camming arrangement responsible for avoiding erroneous card selections includes the provision, in at least one of the edges of the card normal to the coded sorting edge, of a cam follower notch which actively cooperates with a cam member provided in the sorting apparatus to postively urge the card sorting edge into operative relation to the sorting bars during the critical phases of the sorting cycle, thereby preventing erroneous sorts occasioned by card mispositioning. Thus, by merely notching the card and providing a cooperating cam, both changes minor in structure but major in consequence, a card sorting system is provided which overcomes the static charge problem.

In card sorting systems in which magnetic forces are used to laterally shift the cards in the direction of their coded sorting edge, a problem has frequently arisen involving detachment of the ferromagnetic chip from the card occasioned by constant handling and cycling of the card in the sorting apparatus. Typically, the ferromagnetic chip is rectangular in shape and is fitted in a similarly shaped notch formed in the marginal portion of the card to which it is bonded. It has been found that the chin, through constant wear and usage, has a tendency to flex or bend along those edges which mate with the edges of the notch formed in the card, eventually becoming separated from the card. When this occurs the card must be replaced, introducing an additional cost factor into the card sorting operation.

It has been a further and equally important objective of this invention to provide magnetically responsive cards in which the ferromagnetic chip is not likely to prematurely separate from the card during normal usage. This objective has been accomplished in a preferred form of this invention by providing a card with a ferromagnetic chip having a sinuously configured edge portion which mates with a similarly configured notch formed in the margin of the card. This chip and notch configuration provides a joint between the chip and card which is characterized by the absence of a straight cleavage line. Such a joint offers a high degree of resistance to bending and, consequently, results in the production of a card having a markedly extended useful life. Thus, by merely changing the chip and notch configuration, again changes minor in structure but major in consequence, a card is produced having qualities far superior to those previously known.

It has been another objective of this invention to provide improved sorting apparatus characterized by structural as well as operational simplicity. This objective has been achieved in one preferred form of this invention by utilizing a novel code bar design which enables the code bars to be elevated into the registration notches of adjacent cards by applying a direct force to the bars in a direction perpendicular to their elevation direction. This novel design, more specifically, contemplates providing a code bar having a cam follower surface along its bottom edge which rides up and down on a stationary cam into and out of engagement with the card notch, respectively, when urged in opposite direction parallel to the code bar. Such an arrangement results in a relatively compact code bar mechanism which can be raised or lowered with a minimum of actuating hardware.

A further design feature incorporated into the sorting apparatus of this invention for simplifying the structure and operation thereof, which is useful where magnetic forces are used to separate the cards, is a unique drive mechanism for moving the magnet relative to the cards. This drive mechanism overcomes two distinct problems. The first problem involves generating the large force necessary to overcome the magnetic attraction between the magnet and the unselected cards during the initial phase of the sorting cycle. The second problem relates to applying a balanced force to the magnet to prevent an unbalanced torque from developing on the magnet should the unselected cards be unevenly distributed in the sorting apparatus.

Considering the first problem, it has been found that a typical installation involves the storage of approximately 2,000 cards. However, in any given sorting cycle, usually only a few cards are selected. This means that during the initial phase of the sorting cycle the initial magnetic attraction between the unselected cards, which are the vast majority, and the magnet must be broken otherwise they will be selected. It has been found that breaking this magnetic attraction requires a force on the order of 200 pounds. Thus, the magnet drive mechanism must be able to develop a force of 200 pounds if it is to properly select the desired cards.

The second problem arises when the unselected cards are stored primarily on one side or the other of the sorting apparatus. When such is the case, a larger magnetic attractive force between the unselected cards and the magnet exists on one end of the magnet than on the other. This force unbalance gives rise to the development of unbalanced torque on the magnet. Such a torque has a tendency to cause binding to occur between the stationary and movable members of the magnet drive assembly, an obviously undesirable result.

The above problems have both been overcome in a preferred embodiment of this invention by utilizing a pair of identically configured bell cranks each having one of their arms cooperating with opposite portions of a contrally positioned cam disc and the other of their arms in driving relation to spaced points on the magnet. With such a drive arrangement, equal forces of relatively high magnitude can be developed by a relatively low torque cam disc and applied to the magnet, via the symmetrically positioned bell cranks, in a manner which avoids unbalanced torques and consequent undesirable binding between the moving and stationary parts of the magnet drive mechanism.

A further and very important objective of this invention has been to provide an article selecting system which, in addition to achieving the foregoing objectives and having the advantages noted earlier, is extremely compact, highly reliable, and very economical to manufacture, operate and maintain.

Other objectives and advantages of this invention will be more readily apparent from a detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic view in perspective of the card selection system of this invention including a preferred embodiment of the card storing and sorting apparatus and the keyboard control console.

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of a preferred embodiment of an edge coded card suitable for use in practicing the card selection system of this invention, showing details of the ferromagnetic chip and positioning notch, the code sites including the registration notches and selectively removable teeth, and the lock notch.

FIGURES 3-9 are diagrammatic elevational views of portions of a selected and an unselected card, showing their relative positions which respect to each other and to the magnet, code bars, and lock bar during successive portions of a card sorting cycle.

FIGURE 10 is a schematic view in perspective of the preferred embodiment of the card storing and sorting apparatus partially cut away to show the general organization of its various operating components.

FIGURES 11-14 are schematic top plan views of various components of the preferred card storage and sorting apparatus showing their relative relationships during seccessive portions of a card sorting cycle.

FIGURE 15 is a schematic view in perspective of the lock bar and lock bar actuating mechanism.

FIGURES l6 and 17 are schematic front elevational views of a preferred form of code bar, code bar actuating mechanism, and code bar resetting mechanism depicting their relative relationships when the code bar is reset and set, respectively.

FIGURES l8 and 19 are top plan views of the carriage stepping mechanism showing the relationship of its various components at rest and during a stepping cycle, respectively.

FIGURE 20 is a schematic front elevational view of the carriage stepping mechanism.

FIGURE 21 is a perspective view of the card support partially cut away to show the relationship of the code and lock bars relative to a partially selected card and an unselected card.

FIGURE 22 is an elevational view of a card showing its relationship to the card support and cover cam of a preferred embodiment of the card storing and sorting apparatus.

FIGURE 23 is an elevational view of the junction of the ferromagnetic chip bearing corners of four cards as they appear in one phase of a preferred card manufacturing operation.

FIGURE 24 is an elevational view of a second preferred embodiment of a card in which a pair of parallel sorting edges are provided.

FIGURE 25 is a modification of the article storing and sorting apparatus of this invention in which gravity is used to relatively move the articles and in which separate and independent card support means are unnecessary.

FIGURE 26 is a further modification of the article storing and sorting apparatus of this invention in which gravity is used to relatively move the articles and in which separate article support means are necessary.

FIGURE 27 is a further modification of a card in which positioning notches in both vertical card edges are provided.

FIGURE 28 is a further modification of a card in which a magnetic locking arrangement is provided.

FIGURE 29 is a further modification of a card in which notches are formed in the bottom edge of the chip to assist the magnet during the further card separation phase of the sorting cycle.

CARD

A preferred embodiment of a card embodying certain of the concepts of this invention and suitable for practicing the edge-sorting system of this invention is illustrated in FIGURE 2. Referring to this figure, the card 10 is seen to have a substantially rectangular shape defined by an upper edge 11, a lower or sorting edge 12,

a right-hand edge 13, and a left-hand edge 14. The

sorting edge 12 includes a plurality of code sites 15. The code sites 15 each include a registration notch 16 and a selectively removable or notchable tooth 17. The registration notch 16 is in the form of a right triangle defined by a rightwardly sloping edge 18 and a vertical edge 19. The tooth 17 is in the form of a right trapezoid defined by the vertical and rightwardly sloping edges 19 and 18, a bottom edge 20, and an upper edge 21, indicated by the dotted line, connecting the apexes of adjacent right triangular registration notches 16.

For reasons to become apparent hereafter, the registration notch 16 of each code site 15 should be positioned relative to its associated tooth 17 such that it lies between the tooth 17 and the leading edge of the card. With the notch 16 so positioned, cards having notch patterns conforming to the pattern of actuated code bars can be shifted in the direction of the sorting edge 12 relative to the cards not having notch patterns conforming to the pattern of actuated code bars to effect partial separation during the sorting process.

For the purpose of locating the registration notch 16 relative to the tooth 17 the leading edge of the card is determined with reference to the direction in which a selected card is moved relative to the code bars 53 to be described in the course of the selection process. In this case the leading edge of the card is the left-hand edge 14, the card being moved relative to the code bars 53 in the direction of arrow 23 during the course of the card selection process. Thus, with the card 10 being moved leftwardly relative to the code bars to be described, that is, in the direction of arrow 23, during the card selection process, the registration notch 16 of the code site is positioned between the leading edge 14 and the tooth 17, that is, to the left of the associated tooth 17.

The code site 15 is susceptible of being encoded in binary. Specifically, the code site 15 is susceptible of representing one value when the tooth 17 is not removed and another value when the tooth 17 is removed. Thus, depending on whether or not the tooth 17 is removed from a particular code site 15, the code site is encoded to represent one or the other of two values or conditions.

The card 10 further includes a lock member or portion for enabling the card to become locked and its motion parallel to the sorting edge 12 controlled or restrained. In one preferred form, the lock member or portion takes the form of a locking notch 25. The locking notch 25 is configured or shaped as a right triangle defined by a rightwardly sloping edge 26 and a vertical edge 27. Cooperating with the notch 25 in a manner to be described later is a removed portion 28 of the sorting edge 12. The locking notch 25 and removed portion 28, while preferably located along the sorting edge 12 may, if desired, be located along the upper edge 11.

Regardless of whether the locking notch and removed portions 25 and 28, respectively, are located along the sorting edge 12 or the upper edge 11, certain critical requirements must be satisfied. Specifically, the locking notch 25 must be positioned between the leading edge of the cards defined earlier, which in this case is lefthand edge 14, and the removed portion 28. In addition, the spacings between the lock notch 25 and the removed portion 28 must not exceed the width of a tooth 17 measured in the direction of the sorting edge. T he preceding criteria permit the lock notches 25 of unselected cards having nonconforming notch patterns, that is, notch patterns matching the pattern of the actuated code bars to become exposed when the selected cards having conforming notch patterns, that is, notch patterns matching the pattern of actuated code bars, are shifted in the direction of the sorting edge to effect partial or initial separation of the desired cards and the undesired cards. As used herein, the term initial separation" or partial separation means the relative displacement between the selected and unselected cards in a direction parallel to the sorting edge and for a distance equal to the width of one tooth which occurs during the initial phase of the card selection process. By the term exposed is meant that after the initial separation the lock notch 25 of an unselected card is transverse registry with the removed portion 28 of the selected card so that a barrier or lock bar 54 to be described can enter and engage the lock notch of unselected cards without engaging the selected cards, thereby permitting further separation of the selected and unselected cards by continued relative movement between the selected and unselecting cards in a direction parallel to the sorting edge. By the term further separation" is meant the relative displacement between the selected cards and the unselected cards in the direction of the sorting edge which occurs during the card selection process subsequent to the initial separation or partial separation defined above.

Finally, the width of the removed portion 28 measured in the direction of the sorting edge 12, if it does not extend to the trailing or right-hand edge 13 of the card, must be equal to the relative distance it is desired to move a selected card subsequent to the initial selection or separation phase of a retrieval cycle. This permits further separation of selected cards while simultaneously positively locking against movement those cards which have not been selected during the initial separation phase, thereby completing the sorting cycle. By the term sorting cycle" as used herein is meant both the initial separation or partial separation phase of the card selection operation and the further separation phase of the card selection process.

The card 10 further includes a card separating portion for enabling the card 10 to be moved in a direction parallel to its sorting edge 12. In one preferred form the card separating portion is a magnetically attractable portion 30 formed in the left-hand or leading edge 14 of the card 10 Preferably, the magnetically attractable portion 30 is a ferromagnetic chip positioned in a notch formed by removing a correspondingly shaped portion of the corner of the card defined by the leading edge 14 and the sorting edge 12. The chip 30 is held in place by a sheet of plastic 32, such as Mylar, which overlies both the chip 30 and a limited marginal portion of the card surrounding the ferromagnetic chip, and is adhered thereto by a thin film of polyethylene.

The ferromagnetic chip 30 in accordance with certain principles of this invention has a scalloped diagonal edge 33 which makes point contact with the adjacent edge 34 of the card 10 at two points 35 and 36, the remaining portions of the scalloped edge 33 being slightly spaced from the adjacent card edge 34 to permit adhesive, such as polyethylene, to flow therebetween to efiect an efiicient bond between the ferromagnetic chip 30 and the adjacent edge 34 of the card. The provision of two points 35 and 36 at which the scalloped diagonal edge 33 of the ferromagnetic chip 30 contacts the associated diagonal edge 34 of the card 10 functions to positively locate and position the ferromagnetic chip 30 with respect to the card 10.

The sinuous configuration of the chip edge 33 which makes contact with the approximately like-shaped card edge 34 provides a very novel and unobvio'us result. Specifically, the sinuous edge configuration, by eliminating a straight cleavage line at the joint between the card stock and chip, materially reduces the likelihood of the chip and card bending at the joint and ultimately becoming separated from each other. It has been found that a straight iine joint between the chip 30 and card stock produces a card 10 which is much more susceptible to bending at the joint between the adjacent chip and card stock edges, and which therefore is much more likely to fail at the joint, and ultimately separating the chip from card stock. The sinuous diagonal edge configuration of the preferred chip of this invention overcomes this problem.

The shaping of the ferromagnetic chip 30 in the general form of a quadrant of a circle and the positioning of the chip 30 at the corner of the card facilitates efficient manufacture. Specifically, it facilitates the chips A-30D of four cards l0A-10D to be formed from a single chip 30E four times the size of the chip 30 as shown in FIG- URE 23. This is accomplished by placing the enlarged chip 30E. at the junction of the similar corners of four cards yet uncut from a single sheet of material. With the enlarged chip 30E so located at the junction, the chips 30A-30D can be formed by cutting the sheet having the four cards 10A-10D thereon along mutually perpendicular lines coinciding with the leading edges 14 and the sorting edges 12 of the four cards.

The card 10 is further provided with a positioning notch formed in the leading edge 14. The positioning notch 40 has a downwardly sloping lower edge 41 and serves to cam the card 10 downwardly, urging the sorting edge 12 against a card support 51 when a horizontally disposed similarly configured positioning bar is urged into the notch, in a manner to be described more fully hereafter. The positioning notch 40, in cooperation with the positioning bar to be described, insures that the card 10 is properly oriented prior to the sorting operation, thereby preventing sorting errors due to improperly positioned cards.

STORING AND SORTING APPARATUS A preferred form of apparatus suitable for randomly storing and sorting the randomly stored cards 10 of this invention is depicted in general in FIGURES 1 and 10. Referring to FIGURES 1 and 10, this apparatus is seen to include a keyboard control console 48 and a cabinet 50. The cabinet 50 has a right side panel 50R, a left side panel 50L, a back panel 50B, and a front panel 50F. The front panel 50F has a removed portion adapted to receive a panel 201 of a carrier 200 horizontally movable in the direction of arrow 202 in a manner to be described.

Within the cabinet 50 is the horizontally disposed card support 51 adapted to support in upstanding relation between dividers 70 and with their sorting edges 12 aligned, a plurality of cards 10 habitually stored in random fashion. The card support 51, as shown best in FIGURE 21, preferably is in the form of a flat plate having a plurality of parallel, partially through or blind slots 52 disposed in a direction transverse to the sorting edges 12 of the cards 10. The blind slots 52 correspond in number and position to the combined number of registration notches l6 and locking notch 25 formed in the sorting edges 12 of the cards 10, there being a blind slot 52 opposite each of the registration notches 16 and the locking notch 25 of a card 10 properly positioned on the support 51 prior to sorting. The slots 521 opposite the registration notches 16 are normal to the plane of the top 51A of the support 51, while the slot 52-2 opposite the locking notch 25 is angled rightwardly as viewed in FIGURE 21 for reasons to be described.

A code bar or sorting bar 53 common to the sorting edges 12 of all stored cards 10 is slideabl disposed in each blind slot 52-1 opposite a registration notch 16 of a properly stored card 10. A locking bar 54 is disposed in the blind slot 52-2 located opposite the locking notch 25 of a properly positioned card 10.

Referring to FIGURES 16 and 17, a preferred form of coding bar or sorting bar 53 is shown. The coding bar 53 is provided with end notches 55A and 55B positioned adjacent each end and a central notch 55C positioned intermediate the ends. The notches 55A, 55B and 55C are in the form of an inverted V," and have downwardly and outwardly sloping portions 57A, 57B and 57C and downwardly and inwardly sloping portions 58A, 58B and 58C. The code bar 53 has two stable vertical positions, namely, an upper position depicted in FIGURE 17 and a lower position depicted in FIGURE 16. In the upper position, the upper edge 60 of the code bar 53 extends above the upper surface 51A of the card support 51 an amount equal to slightly less than the depth of the registration notch 16 defined by the length of the notch edge 19. In the lower position, the upper edge 60 of the code bar 53 is flush with the top surface 51A of the card support 51.

Movement of the code bars 53 between their respective lower and upper positions depicted in FIGURES l6 and 17, respectively is effected by a code bar actuator generally indicated by the reference numeral 100. The code bar actuator includes a set of horizontally spaced stationary rods 59A, 59B and 59C disposed transverse of, and common to, each of the code bars 53. The rods 59 function to cam upwardly the code bars 53 when the latter are laterally shifted, thereby positioning the code bars in their upper stable position depicted in FIGURE 17. To effect lateral shifting of the code bars for upward code bar 53 camming motion, the code bar actuator 100 further is provided with a carriage-mounted solenoid assembly 101 which selectively laterally shifts the code bars 53. To reset the code bars to the lower position shown in FIGURE 16, a code bar reset mechanism 102 is provided to laterally shift the code bars 53 in the direction opposite to the lateral shifting produced by the carriage-mounted solenoid assembly 101.

The carriage-mounted solenoid assembly 101 includes a carriage 108, as shown in FIGURES 10 and 20. The carriage 108 is slideably mounted on a horizontally disposed guide plate 105 fixed to the top of a U-shaped support 115. The guide plate 105 is provided with a longitudinal guide slot 106 which receives a guide lug 107 depending from the bottom of the carriage 108. The carriage 108 is spring biased toward the back panel 508 of the housing 50 by a spring 110 connected between the housing back panel 508 and the carriage 108.

Fixedly mounted on the carriage 108 is a set of solenoids 109 under control of the console 48. The number and spacing of the solenoids 109 can vary depending on the number and size of code fields into which the plurality of code sites 15 of the sorting edge 12 are divided. If, for example, the card 10 is provided with forty-five code sites 15 divided into five code fields of nine code sites each, the number and spacing of the solenoids is such that it is possible, by intermittently advancing the carriage 108 in nine increments of one code site each, to encode all of the code sites positioned along the sorting edge. Thus, the number of solenoids corresponds to the number of fields, in this case, five, and the spacing of the solenoids corresponds to the width of a field, in this case, the width of nine code sites.

Each of the solenoids 109, as shown in FIGURES l6 and 17, is mounted on a bracket which, in turn, is mounted on the carriage 108. The solenoid mounting is such that the solenoid armature 121 is vertically disposed. Associated with the armatures 121 are bell cranks 122 pivotally mounted about pins 123 fixed to the bracket 120. The bell cranks 122 have their ends 124 of their lower legs 125 pinned to the armatures 121. The upper legs 126 of bell cranks 122 are angled and dimensioned such that their free ends 127 are positioned to the right of the ends 66 of the code bars 53 when the code bars are in their normal lower positions. In addition, the upper legs 126 of the bell cranks 122 are dimensioned and angled with respect to the lower legs 125 such that when the solenoids 109 are energized and their armatures 121 retracted to their upper positions shown in FIGURE 17,

the free ends 127 of the legs 122 shift leftwardly a distance sufficient to drive the code bars 53 leftwardly to disengage the notches 55A, 55B and 55C from their associated transverse rods 59A, 59B and 59C, respectively.

Movement of a code bar 53 to its upper position shown in FIGURE 17 with the edge 60 projecting above the top surface 51A of the card support 51 is produced by actuating the appropriate keys of the control console 48 to effect energization of the solenoid 109 and retraction of its armature 129, which in turn produces clockwise pivotal motion of bell crank 122. The pivotal bell crank motion is effective to cause the upper free end 127 of the bell crank to abut the right-hand end 66 of the code bar 53 moving it leftwardly from the position shown in FIG- URE 16 to the position shown in FIGURE 17. Leftward movement of the bar 52 causes the notch sides 58A, 58B and 58C to ride up on the top of the cam rods 58A, 59B and 59C, respectively, raising the code bars upwardly from the position shown in FIGURE 16 to the position shown in FIGURE 17.

To provide intermittent stepping motion for the carriage 108, a stepping mechanism 130 is provided as shown in FIGURES l0, and 18-20. The stepping mechanism 130 includes a rod 131 rotatably supported in journals 133 and 134 which are fixed to the outer vertical side 132 of the U-shaped member 115. The rod 131 has formed thereon a plurality of normally horizontally disposed teeth 135 corresponding in number and spacing to the notch sites contained in a code field. Cooperating with the teeth 135 are a pair of relatively movable teeth 137 and 138 formed on plates 139 and 140, respectively. The plate 139 is pivotally mounted parallel to the underneath surface of the carriage 108 by a pin 142 secured to the carriage. The plate 140 is limitedly slideably mounted on the plate 139 by a pair of spaced pins 143 secured to the plate 139 and projecting through slots 144 formed in the plate 140. A spring 145 secured at its one end to a pin 146 fixed to the carriage 108 and at its other end to the plate 140 directly biases the plate 140 leftwardly and, via pins 143, indirectly biases the plate 139 in a clockwise direction about carriage-mounted pivot pin 142. The direct biasing of the plate 140 by the spring 145 is limited by the engegement of the pins 143 with the right-hand end of the slots 144. The indirect biasing of the plate 139 by the spring 145 is limited by the engagement of an integral extension 148 formed on the plate 139 and a pin 150 secured to the carriage 108.

As shown in FIGURE 18, in the normal carriage position, that is, when the carriage is at rest in contrast to being engaged in stepping motion, the tooth 137 formed on the plate 139 is engaged with one of the teeth I and maintained in this position by the spring 110 biasing the carriage 108 leftwardly. In such a condition, a clockwise moment is applied to the plate 139 by the tooth 135 biasing the plate clockwise about the pin 142 to the position shown in FIGURE 18 where the integral plate extension 148 abuts the fixed stop pin 150. In addition, in this condition, tooth 138 formed on the plate 140 is vertically displaced above the tooth 137 as shown in FIG- URE 17 and forward of the tooth 135 as viewed in FIG- URE 18. With the tooth 138 so located relative to the tooth 135 with which the tooth 137 is engaged, the plate 140 is free to move leftwardly under the action of spring 145 to its limit of travel determined by the engagement of pins 143 and the right-hand ends of the slots 144.

To advance the carriage 108 one increment, the rod 131 is rotated clockwise from the position shown in FIG- URE 17 to the position shown in FIGURE 20. Rotation of rod 131 in this direction and to this extent disengages the tooth 1351 and the tooth 137 while simultaneously engaging the tooth 135-1 with the tooth 138. With the tooth 137 disengaged, the carriage 108 is free to move leftwardly under the action of the spring 110. However, such leftward motion of the carriage 108 is limited by the lost motion of plate 140 determined by the slots 144 and cooperating pins 143, which lost motion is slightly less than the spacing of the teeth 135.

When the carriage 108 has advanced leftwardly from the position shown in FIGURE 18 to the position shown in FIGURE 19, the rod 131 is rotated counterclockwise returning the teeth 135 to the position shown in FIG- URE 17 from that shown in FIGURE 20. Rotation of the rod 131 and consequent lowering of the teeth 135, disengages the tooth 138 and 135-1 while simultaneously aligning the teeth 137 and 135-2, as shown in FIG- URE l9. With the tooth 138 disengaged, the plate 140 returns to the position of FIGURE 18 under the action of the spring 145. In addition, the tooth 137 engages the tooth 135-2 with which it has become aligned while the carriage 108 moves leftwardly under the action of spring to eliminate the clearance between aligned teeth 137 and -2, thereby completing one cycle of the stepping motion which increments the carriage the width of one code site.

To rotate the rod 131 and, hence, the tooth 135, a stationarily mounted solenoid under control of the console 48 is provided. The solenoid 155 has a depending and vertically reciprocable armature 156 which is normally positioned in its lowermost position, depicted in phantom lines in FIGURE 17, by a bias spring 159 connected between an extension 157 integral with the armature and the bottom of the U-shaped member 115. Transforming the reciprocable motion of the vertical rod of the armature 156 to rotation of the shaft 131 is a link 158 which is pinned at one end to the armature 156 and at the other fixedly secured to the rod 131.

When the solenoid 155 is energized by actuation of the appropriate key of the control console 48, the armature I56 retracts moving upwardly overcoming the bias action of the spring 159. This vertical motion pivots the link 158 in a clockwise direction from the position shown in FIGURE 17 to the position shown in FIG- URE 20, in turn rotating the shaft 131 in a counterclockwise direction to raise the teeth 135 from the position shown in FIGURE 17 to the position shown in FIGURE 20. When the solenoid 155 is de-energized, the armature 156 returns from its upper position shown in FIGURE 20 to the lower position shown in FIGURE 17 completing the cycle.

The code bar rest mechanism 102 includes an elongated longitudinally disposed bar 160 mounted for pivotal motion with a horizontal rod 161 journalled at its ends in supports 162. The bar 160 is provided with a substantially free horizontal and inwardly extending reset lip 164 at its upper or free end which is adapted to engage a cam slot 166 having a downwardly and outwardly sloping surface 167 formed in the left end 168 of the code bar 60. The code bar reset mechanism 102 further includes a stationary solenoid 170 under joint control of the console 48 and a switch SW-l to be described. The solenoid 170 has a horizontally reciprocable armature 171. A linkage including links @172 and 173 connect the armature 171 of the solenoid 170 to an upper free end of a link secured at its lower end to the rod 161.

In operation, a set code bar 53 is reset, that is, a code bar positioned in its upper position depicted in FIGURE 17 is lowered or returned to its normal position, as depicted in FIGURE 17, by energization of the solenoid 170. Such energization can be accomplished automatically by switch SW-l during the sorting cycle, in a manner to be described, or by depression of a manually controlled key on the console 48. Energization of solenoid 170 retracts the armature 171 causing links 172 and 173 to move rightwardly from the position shown in FIG- URE 17 to the position shown in FIGURE 16. Such rightward movement pivots the link 175 clockwise about its lower end, in turn rotating the shaft 161 and pivoting the bar 160 clockwise from the position shown in FIG- URE 17 to the position shown in FIGURE 16. When the bar 160 pivots clockwise, the reset lip 164 engages the cam edge 167 of the notch 166 formed in the end 168 of the code bar 53. Continued engagement of the reset lip 164 with the cam edge 167 of the notch 168 in conjunction with continued clockwise pivotal motion of the bar 160 urges the code bar 53 both rightwardly and downwardly from the position shown in FIGURE 17 to the position shown in FIGURE 16, resetting the code bar. Of course, if a plurality of code bars 53 are set, the reset operation described is effective to simultaneously reset all code bars.

A stop bar 152 disposed transversely relative to the ends 66 of the group of code bars 53 serves the dual function of limiting reset motion of the code bars 53 under the action of the reset lip 164 as well as insuring that the right-hand portions of the code bars 53 are urged downwardly returning their upper edge 69 to a position flush with the top surface 51A of the card support 51. The stop bar 152 has a downwardly and outwardly sloping cam surface 176 which engages a similarly sloping carn follower edge 177 formed in the upper corner of the end 66 of the code bar 53. Surface 176 is effective to cause the code bar 53 to be urged downwardly as the reset lip 164 moves the code bars rightwardly, as viewed in FIG- URE 16, during the code bar resetting operation.

The locking bar 54, which is slideably mounted in the slot 52-2 support 51, has two stable positions, namely, an upper position and a lower position. In the lower position, the upper edge 180 is flush with the top surface 51A of the card support 51 while in the upper position, the upper edge 180 of the lock bar 54 extends above the top surface 51A of the card support 51 a distance slightly less than the length of the vertical edge 27 of the card lock notch which defines the height of the lock notch. The lock bar 54 is selectively shifted between its upper and lower positions by a lock bar actuator generally indicated by the reference numeral 181.

More specifically, the lock bar actuator 181 includes a cam 1182 which is driven one revolution per card sorting cycle in any suitable manner, for example, by a motor 184 and chain 183 (FIGURE 13). The cam 182 has large and small radius lobes 185 and 198, respectively, formed on the periphery thereof which cooperate with a follower wheel 186 rotatably mounted on a lever 187 at a point intermediate an end 188 pivotally mounted to a stationary pin 189 and an end 190 pinned to a link 191. Link 191 in turn is pinned to the lower end 192 of a link 193, the upper end of which is fixedly secured to a shaft 194. The shaft 194 at its ends is rigidly secured to a pair of identical links 195 whose other ends 196 are connected to the ends of the lock bar 54 by arms 197.

In operation, when the cam 182 is in its normal start position depicted in FIGURE 15, the small radius lobe 198 contacts the cam follower wheel 186, causing the links and arms 187, 191, 193, 196 and 197 to position the lock bar 54 in its normal lower position with its upper edge 180 flush with the top surface 51A of the card support 51. During the course of the card sorting cycle in a manner to be described in more detail hereafter, the cam 182 rotates in the direction of the arrow associated therewith eventually bringing large radius lobe 185 in contact with the cam wheel 186. When this occurs, the lever 187 moves in a clockwise direction about pivot 189 driving the link 191 toward the back 503 of the cabinet 50. The motion of the link 191 pivots the link 193, the shaft 194, the links 195 and arms 197 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURE 15, in turn raising the lock bar 54 to its upper limit of travel.

Continued motion of the cam 182 in the direction of the arrow associated therewith allows the cam follower wheel 186 to move radially inwardly on the cam which in turn permits the links and arms 187, 191, 193, 196 and 197 to assume the position shown in FIGURE 15. The return of the lock bar 54 to the position shown in FIGURE 15 results as a consequence of the weight of the bar 54 which tends to rotate the links and arms 196 and 197 clockwise, as viewed in FIGURE 15, rotating the shaft 194 and links 193 clockwise to draw the link 191 toward the front panel F of the housing 50, in turn driving the cam follower wheel -186 radially inwardly on the cam lobe 198 via the pivotal lever 187. Alternatively, the lock bar 54 may be spring biased in any suitable manner to insure its return to a retracted position.

The card separators 70 of the positioning and sorting apparatus 49 preferably take the form of flat plates dimensioned slightly smaller than the cards 10, as shown in FIGURE 1. The separators 70 are vertical and disposed transversely of the sorting and locking bars 53 and 54, respectively. Preferably the card separators are not positioned from each other at a distance in excess of approximately one-third the height of a card 10, that is, at a distance in excess of one-third the distance between edges 11 and 12 of a card. With the horizontal separation of the card separators 70 so dimensioned, a card such as card 10E solely occupying the space between two separators such as 701-3 and 70F, while angled with respect to the separators 70B and 70F does not lie flat. That is, the card 10E does not become parallel to the top surface 51A of the card support 51. Consequently, should a card such as 10E be the sole card occupying the space or compartment between a pair of adjacent separators such as 70E and 70F the card would always be disposed in an operative sorting position, that is, with its sorting edge 12 operatively associated with the sorting and lockng bars 53 and 54, respectively.

Also included in the card positioning and sorting appa ratus 49 is the carrier generally indicated by the reference numeral 200. The carrier 200, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 10, includes the rectangular panel 201 which is dimensioned to fit in the removed portion of the front wall 50F of the cabinet 50 and when so positioned forms therewith the front of the apparatus 49. The panel 201 is mounted for horizontal motion in the direction of arrow 202 (FIGURE 1) by a pair of horizontally and rearwardly extending arms 203. Arms 203 are slideably mounted in parallel, horizontally disposed, oppositely positioned grooves 204 formed in a pair of stationary guide blocks 205 extending between the front and rear panels 50F and 50B of the cabinet 50.

The card storing and sorting apparatus 49 further includes a horizontal positioning bar 72 mounted on the rear surface 79 of the front panel 201 of the carriage 200 in alignment with the positioning notches 40 of properly stored cards 10. The positioning bar 72 includes a horizontally extending lip 73 having a cross section configured to snugly engage the positioning notch 40 of the cards. Specifically, the lip 73 includes a sloping cam surface 74 angled parallel to the edge 41 of the positioning notch 40 formed in the card 10. The positioning bar 72 and its associated lip 73, particularly the sloping cam surface 74, when engaged with the card positioning notch 40, functions to cam the cards 10 downwardly urging the portions of their respective sorting edges 12 adjacent the chips 30 against the upper surface 51A of the card support 51, and thereafter maintain the sorting edges 12 of the engaged cards so positioned in operative relationship to the sorting and locking bars 53 and 54, respectively, during the initial phase of the card sorting process.

As shown in FIGURE 1, a horizontally extending stationary cam surface in the form of a partial cover for the stored cards extending between housing side panels 50R and 50L is also embodied in the preferred card storage and sorting apparatus 49. The cam 85 insures that the portion of the sorting edge 12 of the card 10 adjacent the lock notch 25 is urged in intimate contact with the top surface 51A of the card support 51 when the cards are located in their proper storage position. As shown more particularly in FIGURE 22, the cam surface 85 is slightly inclined with respect to the top surface 51A of the card support 51. The degree of inclination of the cam surface 85 is such that the rear edge 86 of the cam surface is located above the top surface 51A of the card support 51 a distance equal to the length of the side 13 of the card 10.

The inclination of the cam surface 85 relative to the top surface 51A of the card support 51 insures that as the cards 10 are urged in the direction of arrow 2028 by the carrier 200 the cards are cammed downwardly in the direction of arrow 87 (FIGURE 22) urging the portion of the sorting edge 12 adjacent the lock notch 25 into intimate contact with the top surface 51A of the card support 51.

The cam surface 85, in addition to urging the portion of the sorting edge adjacent the lock notch 25 into contact with the card support 51 of those cards not initially so positioned, also serves an additional function. Specifically, the cam surface 85 serves to maintain cards, once positioned with their portions of the sorting edge 12 adjacent the notch 25 in intimate contact with the top surface 51A of the card support 51, in such position during the initial phases of the sorting cycle.

Thus, the cam surface 85 performs for the portion of the sorting edge 12 adjacent the lock notch 25 the same function as the positioning bar 72 performs for the sorting edge 12 adjacent the chip 30.

The card storage and sorting apparatus 49 additionally includes a horizontal magnet 77 also mounted on the rear surface 79 of the front panel 201 of the carriage 200 in alignment with the chips 30 of properly stored cards 10. The vertical dimension of the magnet 77 is such that it extends along substantially the entire vertical edge 29 of the chip 30. The magnet 77 is preferably a permanent magnet and functions to magnetically attract the chips 30 of the cards and when moved leftwardly, in a manner to be described hereafter, exerts a lateral force on the cards 10 in the direction of arrow 23 (FIGURE 2).

A carriage actuating assembly 220 is provided to move the magnet 77 a distance equal to the width of a card tooth 17 and in a direction parallel to the arrow 202A (FIGURE 1) for applying a lateral force to the stored cards 10 to elfect initial separation of the cards during the sorting cycle, as well as to produce continued motion of the magnet in the direction of the arrow 202A for the purpose of producing further separation of the initially selected and separated cards. The carriage actuating assembly 220 includes a cam 226 adapted to be driven by the chain 183 one complete revolution per sorting cycle. The cam 226 is provided with a pair of oppositely disposed peripheral arcuate lobes 227A and 227B separated by oppositely disposed peripheral fiat lobes 228A and 228B of lesser radius.

Cooperating with the cam 226 are a pair of cam follower wheels 229A and 229B mounted on the free ends of arms 231A and 231B, respectively, of identically configured bell cranks 232A and 2328 which are pivotally mounted on stationary pins 233A and 233B disposed symmetrically about the cam 226. Arms 234A and 2348 form the other portion of the bell cranks 232A and 2328 respectively. The pair of bell cranks 232 in combination with the cam 226 enable balanced forces of large magnitude to be applied to the carrier 200. This prevents the carrier arms 203 from bending in the guide grooves 204 should the resistance to carrier motion be unbalanced due to their being an unbalanced distribution of cards in the compartments formed by the separators 70.

The carriage actuating assembly 220 further includes a cam wheel 240 eccentrically mounted on the upper surface of the cam 226, and a cam follower plate 241 rigidly secured at its ends to the inner surface of the carrier arms 203.

In operation, the initial motion of the chain driven cam 226 in the direction of arrow 25!) causes the cam wheels 229A and 229B to move off the lesser radius flat lobes 228A and 2283, respectively. This action urges the cam follower wheels 229A and 229B outwardly pivoting the bell cranks 232A and 232B in the direction of arrows 252 and 253, respectively, about their respective pivots 233A and 2333. The pivotal bell crank motion drives the free ends of the bell crank arms 234A and 2343 in the direction of arrow 202A, in turn driving the carrier front panel 201 outwardly. The motion of the carrier front panel 201 imparts similar motion to the positioning bar 72 and the magnet 77 which it carries. The difference in the radii of the cam lobes 227 and 228 is selected such that the motion of the carrier front panel 201 under the action of the cam follower 229 and bell crank 232 drives the magnet 77 a distance in the direction of the arrow 202A equal to the width of a card tooth 17, to initially separate conformingly notched cards from nonconformingly notched cards, in a manner to become apparent hereafter.

Further rotation of the chain driven cam 226 drives the cam wheel 240 in the direction of arrow 202A, in turn driving the cam follower plate 241 and, hence, the carrier front panel 201 in the direction of arrow 202A. The continued motion of the carrier front panel 201 in turn imparts additional motion to the magnet 77 further separating the initially separated cards. The location of the cam wheel 240 with respect to the cam 226, as well as the location of the cam 226 relative to the cam follower plate 241, is such that the carrier panel 201 and the magnet 77 which it carries advance under the action of the cam wheel 240 and cam follower plate 241 a distance sufiicient to fully separate cards selected during the initial separation stage under the action of cam follower wheel 229 and bell crank 232.

A normally open stationary switch SW1 in series circuit arrangement with the reset solenoid cooperates with a switch actuating cam SC mounted to the underneath surface of the cam 226 for momentarily energizing the reset solenoid 170 once per revolution of cam 226, that is, once each sorting cycle. The location of the switch actuating cam SC is such that it momentarily closes the switch SW-l, at the appropriate point in the sorting cycle to be described, momentarily completing an energization circuit to the reset solenoid 170 to reset the code bars 53.

A normally closed stationary switch SW-2 in series with motor 184 cooperates with the switch actuating cam SC for facilitating selective energization of the motor 184 in one revolution increments. The switch SW-2 is positioned relative to the cam SC such that when the cam 226 is in the position shown in FIGURE 11, which corresponds to beginning and end points of a sorting cycle, the cam SC opens the switch SW-2 interrupting an energization circuit to the motor 184. Energization of the motor 184 when the cam SC is in the rest position of FIGURE 11 and the switch SW-2 is open is effected by momentarily short-circuiting the switch SW-2 in any convenient manner, for example, by momentarily actuating a normally open console switch connected in parallel with switch SW-2. Short-circuitig switch SW-2 energizes motor 184. This causes cam 226 to rotate and angularly displace cam SC relative to the switch SW-Z, allowing switch SW4 to return to its normally closed condition. In this condition the motor 184 is maintained in an energized state driving the chain 183 and cams 226, 182 and SC.

When the cam SC rotates through one complete revolution it actuates switch SW-2, interrupting the only existing energization circuit to the motor, the energization circuit through the parallel connected console switch having been only of a temporary or momentary nature. With the switch SW-2 open, the motor 184 stops and remains at rest in the position shown in FIGURE 11 until the switch SW-2 is once again momentarily short-circuited by momentary actuation of the parallel connected console switch.

The console 48 may be of any desired design. Preferably, the console 48 should be provided with keys which when momentarily actuated are effective to momentarily close switches, for example, the console 48 preferably should be provided with a start key which when momentarily actuated momentarily closes a console switch connected in parallel with the switch SW-2 for the purpose of momentarily short-circuiting switch SW-2 to initially energize the motor 184 and, hence, commence the sorting cycle.

The console also preferably should be provided with a reset key which when momentarily actuated is effective to momentarily close a console switch to produce momentary energization of the reset solenoid 170 for the purpose of actuating the code bar reset mechanism 102 to reset the code bars 53 to the position shown in FIG- URE 16. With such a key it is possible to selectively reset the code bars thereby providing code bar reset capability in addition to that provided by the combination of switch SW-l and cam SC. Such additional reset capability is desirable when, for example, a mistake has been made in setting the code bars 53 and it is desired to reset the code bars and re-enter the proper code corresponding to the card to be selected.

The console 48 should further be provided with a plurality of code keys which, when momentarily actuated, close appropriate console switches in energization relationship with various ones of the solenoids 109 to thereby permit, by actuation of the code keys, the energization of the solenoids 109 and, hence, the setting of the code bars 53. The code keys should also have associated therewith a console switch in energization relationship with the stepping solenoid 155 which is effective to energize the stepping solenoid 155, and thereby increment the carriage 108 each time a code key is depressed and one or more of the solenoids 109 actuated to enter into the sorting apparatus the code of a card or cards to be selected.

The console 48 should also include a key which when actuated is effective to momentarily close a console switch in energization relationship with the stepping solenoid 155 which is effective to momentarily energize the stepping solenoid 155 and permit selective incrementing of the carriage 108 independent of that occurring as an incident to actuating the code keys and setting the code bars.

OPERATION A complete card sorting cycle is now described. For the purpose of this operational description, it is assumed that it is desired to retrieve a card having the notch configuration of the card depicted in FIGURE 2 (card 10' of FIGURES 3-9). Specifically, in the following operation description, it is assumed that it is desired to select from a group of randomly stored cards, of which two cards 10' and 10" are shown in FIGURES 3-9, the card 10 having removed therefrom the tooth 17-3 of the code site -3 located third from the left vertical card edge 14. It is further assumed that all of the code bars 53 have been reset by the reset mechanism 102 to their normal position shown in FIGURE 16, and that the lock bar 54 resides in its normal lowered position (see FIGURE 3).

To initiate the card sorting cycle it is necessary to position the cards 10 in the compartments formed by the separators 70 with their sorting edges 12 lowermost. When the cards have been so positioned, the carrier front panel 201 is returned to a position flush with the housing front panel 50F by pushing it rearwardly, that is, in the direction of arrow 202B (FIGURE 1). As the carrier front panel 201 is urged rearwardly with its associated arms 203 sliding in the grooves 204 of the guide blocks 205, the positioning bar 72 mounted on the rear wall 79 engages the card positioning notches 40 of those cards 10 not yet located in the proper sorting position, that is, with their sorting edges 12 in contact with the top surface 51A of card support 51 and their registration and lock notches 16 and 25, respectively, aligned with slots 52-1 and 52-2, respectively. Specifically, the downwardly sloping cam surface 74 of the positioning bar 73 engages the downwardly sloping edges 41 of the positioning notches 40 of improperly positioned cards urging the cards downwardly to a point where sorting edge 12 of the card 10 is in contact with the upper surface 51A of the card support 51. The exact point at which the positioning bar 72 engages the positioning notch 40 of a given card 10 depends upon the extent to which the card so engaged is initially displaced in a direction parallel to the sorting edge 12 from its proper storage position.

As the carrier 200 moves rearwardly in the direction of arrow 202B, the positioning bar 72, in addition to engaging the positioning notches 40 and urging the portion of the sorting edges 12 adjacent the chips 30 against the top surface 51A of the card support 51, also serves to displace rearwardly in the direction of arrow 2023 cards initially laterally displaced relative to the remainder of the properly stored cards, returning them to their proper storage position with their registration notches 16 and lock notches 25 aligned with the slots 52-1 and 52-2, respectively. Specifically, as the carrier 200 moves rearwardly in the direction of arrow 202B driving cards initially displaced from their proper storage position in the direction of arrow 202B the cam surface in the manner described previously cams the cards downwardly in the direction of arrow 87 bringing the portion of the sorting edge 12 adjacent the lock notch 25 into intimate contact with the top surface 51A of the card support 51.

The rearward motion of the carrier 200 also functions to bring the magnet 77 to a point adjacent the ferromagnetic chips 30 of the stored cards.

Thus, rearward positioning of the carrier 200 positions the cards in their proper storage position with their registration notches 16 and lock notches 25 aligned slots 52-1 and 52-2, respectively, and their sorting edges 12 in complete contact with the top surface 51A of the card support 51, as well as positions, the magnet 77 adjacent the card chips 30.

With the cards properly stored, the next step is to set or raise the code bars 53 such that the pattern of actuated code bars corresponds to the notch pattern of the desired card. In this example, it is assumed that the desired card 10' has the tooth 17-3 of the third code site 15-3 from the left or leading edge 14 ot' the card removed. Consequently, it is necessary to set or raise the sorting bar 53-3 aligned with the registration notch 16-3 of the notch site 15-3 in which the third tooth 17-3 from the left is contained. This is accomplished by making the appropriate entries into the console 48.

More specifically, the appropriate code bar 53-3 is raised by depressing the appropriate keys of the console 48 to cause the stepping mechanism to advance the carriage 108 to the point where the associated solenoid 109 when actuated laterally shifts the desired code bar 53-3 from the position shown in FIGURE 3 to the position shown in FIGURE 4. When the third code bar 53-3 has been shifted leftwardly as viewed in FIGURES l6 and 17, the code bar is in the set condition as shown in FIGURE 4. That is, the code bar 53-3 is elevated into the third registration notch 16-3 associated with the code site 15-3 containing the third tooth 17-3.

Setting of the sorting bars 53, in conjunction with the right triangular registration notch 16 into which the raised or set sorting bar 53-3 is elevated, performs a registering function, namely, positioning the cards 10 should they be slightly out of registration with respect to the code bars 53. Specifically, if a card 10 is slightly misaligned, that is, its registration notches 16 do not register precisely with the code bars 53, setting of one or more code bars causes the card to shift along its sorting edge until properly registered. The necessary positioning motion for registering the card is produced by the camming interaction between the rising top edge 60 of the sorting bar and the angled edge 18 of the registration notch.

With the coding bars 53 corresponding to the notch pattern of the desired card set, as depicted in FIGURE 2, the next step in the sorting operation is to apply a force to the cards 10' and 10" in a manner such that they tend to move in a direction parallel to their sorting edge. This is accomplished by actuating the appropriate key on the console 48 to momentarily short-circuit the now open switch SW-2, thereby energizing the motor 184 in the manner previously described and rotating the cam 226 from the position shown in FIGURE 11 to the position shown in FIGURE 12. As the cam 226 rotates to this new position, 

